You Look Good
by emski55
Summary: Draco is proposing to Astoria, however somethings are getting in his way. Written for HPFC's The Proposal Challenge


AN – This is for HPFC's The Proposal Challenge. And I am obviously not J.K Rowling.

My knees are crammed together way too tight. I look ridiculous. Ever since Potter and his loyal band of followers broke into this place, the goblins have decided to tighten security immensely, by building the carts to the vaults barely big enough to hold wizards. It was embarrassing. I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, riding in a tiny side car to pick up my mother's engagement ring and I look like an idiot. The goblin driving the cart, Tapnok, snickered as he purposely jolted the car, causing my knees to knock the metal sides and a wince to grace my chiselled features.

"We are almost at Vault 847, Mr Malfoy" said Tapnok

"About time," I muttered, rubbing my bruised knees. I have no doubt they will be purple for hours.

Prying each limb out of the tiny side car, I scrabble for the platform next to my vault. Pressing the key hurriedly into the goblin's long fingered hand, I curse the carts at Gringotts to the high heavens. After what seems like an age and several failed attempts at opening the vault (I could hear the goblin laughing at my impatience). But he had the decency to wait at the door and not come in.

I walked past the many treasures my parents, grandparents; ancestors had collected over the years. Pieces of crystal and emerald jewellery hung on busts labelled for certain members of the family. One particularly exquisite piece had "Draco's wife" written in cursive hand writing on it. I smiled, imagining it around Astoria's neck. The green would look lovely against her dark hair and hazel eyes. A small leather box lay on the mahogany table. This one was labelled "The Malfoy Engagement Ring". Each Malfoy women was allowed to wear it for 10 years, before it was sent back to the vault to wait for the next generation. Opening the box, I fingered the delicate white gold ring, with a cluster of emeralds surrounded diamonds. Pocketing the ring, I walked out of the vault and decided against taking another death ride on the super-squeezy Gringotts cart. I walked instead.

She was stunning. I never got over how beautiful Astoria was, especially when she was dressed up. It was a wonder I never noticed her in school, however Pansy pretty much monopolised my association with the fairer sex. Astoria smiled at my vacant expression.

"That bad huh?" she laughed twirling.

I loved her laugh. It was the first thing I noticed about her, other than her appearance. God, I sound like a love struck twit.

But it wasn't long to my mind begun to race and I remembered what I was doing tonight. The leather ring box lay in my pocket and felt like a thousand kilos, a lead weight I was carrying around. Normally in response to a comment like Astoria's, I would shake my head and say "Digusting".

But no, instead, I came out with "Muhum, yeah, you look good,"

And I saw the smile slip from her face, a crease appearing between her eyes. She placed the flowers I had brought her in a vase and grabbed her purse.

"Shall we go?" she asked, holding out her hand.

"Yep," I mumbled, going over what I was going to say over and over.

We were going for dinner at a famous restaurant that had taken every ounce of my influence and quite a bit of gold to secure a place. I had some more to bribe the maître d'. The waiter was going to bring over champagne and I was going to get down on one knee and basically tell her that she had changed my life, my perspective on life. After the war, I was in a dark place. My perceptions of people shifted and the values that I had grown up with, I realised were not the best. Whilst my family were still rich and vaguely respected, public opinion of us had decreased. I was only able to keep my reputation due to Potter vouching for my good character. It was a position I had never been in before. I was in another man's debt and it ate at me. Then Astoria came along and helped me to prove that I was better than my parents had been and had the ability to change.

And I had never looked back.

Everything was set for the engagement, and my mother was even planning a party the next day. I just hoped she would say yes.

The first problem of the night came with dinner. I walked up to the waiter, putting on the Malfoy sneer, which clearly says, 'I am better than you, and I know it.'

But when I asked after our reservation, the waiter looked shocked.

"Mr Malfoy, I thought someone had informed you. Unfortunately, your reservation had to be cancelled. We gave you some options as to another time you could shift it, but we have some high profile guests dining with us tonight."

He then pointed to the far end of the restaurant, where I spied a group of redheads, speckled with a brunette and a black-haired man. The Weasley clan had taken my reservation. And obviously other peoples, due to the large number of disgruntled diners we had seen upon entering the restaurant.

My plans, gone to waste. I wanted to make it a special night for Astoria, as special as she made me feel every day.

And so, Astoria and I sat in the gutter, eating take away Chinese. And a sudden thought came over me. It was now or never. I had planned to propose tonight and I was damn well going to.

"Astoria," I murmured taking her hands in mine

"You know Draco, Yum Cha may not be as glamorous as Le Maison, but is good," she said, completely focussed on the take away

"Astoria," I said louder "Listen, ever since you bumped into me at Flourish and Blotts while you were picking up textbooks, I liked you. And that like eventually turned to love when you pulled me into life again and showed me I am more than a stereotype. And that is why I am asking, you to be my wife,"

I pulled out the ring and stared right into her eyes. My heart was doing flips, and those 10 seconds that she stared at me in shock were the longest in my life. A million possibilities ran though my head. She was going to laugh. This was a stupid idea.

At first I almost miss it. My mind was racing so quickly and loudly, that I didn't realise she had spoken.

"Yes," she said "Of course, I will!"

And I slipped the ring on her finger. It looked like it was made for her.

_The End _


End file.
